Robinson: Polycodium 555 



indeed, but certainly present. Moreover, V. multiflorum was 

 described as having anthers alternately awned and awnless, yet a 

 recent collection from near its type locality, Pittier 1182, agreeing 

 otherwise with Bentham's description, has all the anthers of such 

 flowers as were examined 2-awned, with awns as described and 

 found for this and for V. consanguineum. The plate* of V. 

 weridionalf is wrong in this respect. 



Yet, all these can be described as awned anthers, and on other 

 grounds the alliance of the species is with those possessing awned 

 anthers. Much search has failed to disclose a single other excep- 

 tion, not only within the limits of a species but within the limits 

 of what appear to be groups of related species. 



It may be added that the presence of pubescence, in whatever 

 degree, en the filaments or the connectives — and when it occurs it 

 is usually on both — is equally conclusive but of secondary impor- 

 tance. Thus, if a vacciniaceous plant be found in America north of 

 Mexico with awnless anthers and glabrous filaments, no further 

 information is needed for its determination as Gaylussacia frondosa 

 (L.) T. & G., except by those who consider G. nana (A. Gray) 

 Small and G. tomentosa (Pursh) Chapm. to be specifically distinct 

 from that species. Each of the other three combinations of these 

 two characters will describe large groups of species. 



On the other hand, investigation of the relative length and 

 degree of divergence of the awns and of the relative amount of 

 pubescence on the filaments seems to indicate that these do not 

 afford reliable characters except possibly in rare cases. 



Up to the present the following have been ascribed to Polyco- 

 dium as distinct species: P. caesium Greene, P. candicans (C. Mohr) 

 Small, P. elevatum (Banks) Greene, P.floridanum (Nutt.) Greene, 

 P. Langloisii Greene, P. melanocarpum (C. Mohr) Small, P. 

 neglectum Small, P. oblongum Greene, P. oliganthum Greene, P. 

 revolutum Greene, and P. stamineum (L.) Greene; it has already 

 been stated that another species awaits transfer, Vaccinium 

 Kunthianum Klotzsch. The last having been separated on the 

 basis of its shorter anthers, not or barely exserted, the character 

 depended on as of next importance is the relation between leaves 

 or bracts and the inflorescence. 

 * Sw. Ic. Ind. Occ. pi. 12. 1794. 



